West Indies captain Jason Holder says the team will have to show marked improvement if they are to win against South Africa.

Holder says his team have to improve on the performance that saw them lose by 139 runs to Australia last week and has put emphasis on playing good cricket, especially in critical moments.

‘We have to go back to the last game we played them in St Kitts and we have to be better in the first ten overs. I thought they ran away with the game in the last ten overs so we spoke about that,’ the 24-year-old all-rounder said on Thursday.

‘One of the things we really stressed on in the dressing is the first ten overs and then finishing off in the last ten overs. Those are pretty much the business areas of the bowling department where games are probably won or lost.

‘[You] set up in the first ten and then close out in the last ten so we just have to be better there.’

Holder also pointed out the top-order will need to continue on the good form they’ve shown if they are to secure a berth in Sunday’s final.

‘We have one of the top-four batsmen to get a hundred which is what we were asking for [and] it’s about repeating it again,’ Holder pointed out.

‘It may not be Marlon tomorrow, it may be somebody else but regardless of whoever it is, we need one of the top four batsmen to bat us down to 40, 45 overs. I think once we have a set batter there especially in the top four, it is easier for guys to come in and play around him.’

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